Projectile



L. BARNETT March 21, 1961 PROJECTILE Filed Oct. 1. 1957 IN V EN TOR.

LAWRENCE BARNETT ATT RNEYSL United States Patent O PROJECIILE Lawrence Barnett, Box 252, Fort Edward, N. Filed Oct. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 687,391

3 Claims. (Cl. 273106.5)

This invention relates to projectiles and the method of making the same and in particular to a type of dart adapted for outdoor field games.

The outdoor field game of darts may be viewed as a combination of the indoor game of darts and the sport of javelin throwing. A suitable target such as a circle, or a group -of concentric circles, is laid out on the ground and a dart of approximately two feet in length is thrown in a trajectory by which it will be caused to stick into the ground within the target area. The object of the game is to throw the dart with as much accuracy as possible, into the target area.

Until the present invention, the projectiles used in this game have been similar in construction to darts used in the corresponding indoor game although larger in size. However, projectiles constructed in this fashion have been found impracticable for outdoor use as considerably greater punishment is given an outdoor dart. Specifically, the flight comprising the feathers, fins or vanes of the ordinary dart are subject to considerable abuse. Ordinarily the flight is formed of separate pieces and attached to the shaft of the dart by glue, string, nails or tongue and groove joints. It has been found that, no matter how the ordinary flight elements have been attached to the shaft of the dart by any of these well-known methods, they remain the weakest and most unstable portion of the dart. This problem of fletching has been of great concern to manufacturers, contributing substantially to the cost of the finished item. It is to the solution of this problem that this invention is principally directed.

It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive dart for outdoor field use that is strong, rigid and able to resist injury under normal use.

It is another object to provide a projectile formed in several sections that may be readily fitted together for assembly or use and conveniently dismantled for storage or shipment.

If is still another object to provide a dart-type projectile having a separable integral flight that may be simply and easily attached to the shaft section for assembly or replacement.

Further, it is an object to provide a flight having vanes that are strong and stable yet light in weight.

It is another object to provide a dart having a number of portions which are of standard construction and dimension so that in the event any one section breaks or is damaged it may be easily replaced.

Other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view of a dart embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the dart of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the flight assembly of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings the preferred embodi- -of molded flexible plastic.

Patented Mar. 21, 1961 ment of this invention illustrates a dart-type projectile ofthe type used in outdoor dart games, comprising a front shaft portion 11, a rear shaft portion 12, a cylindrical weight portion 13 and a point 14. The shaft portions 11 and 12 are cylindrical and may desirably be made of extruded aluminum tubing, while the cylindrical weight 13 and point 14 are desirably of greater weight, and may be made of steel or other suitable metal. The forward end of the rear shaft portion 12is'press fit into the rear end 21 of the front shaft portion 11 which is itself press fit into bore 22 in the rear of weight portion 13. The point '14 is forcibly driven into bore 23 in the forward end of the weight portion 13.

A unitary flight 15, comprising three curved symmetrically disposed vanes 16 integrally formed with a tubular sleeve 17, is slidably fitted over the rear shaft portion 12, and has its forward end adjacent the rear end of the front shaft portion 11. -A tubular-sleeve spacer-handle 18 is slidably fitted over the remaining portion of rear shaft 12 and a plug 19 having an enlarged head 20 is forcibly driven into the rear of the tubular shaft portion 12 so asto prevent the handle 18 and flight 15 from being accidentally removed. The flight 15 is desirably formed of a flexible plastic or similar material so that it will have the advantage of strength, endurance, relatively light weight and resistance to accidental breaking upon impact. The spacerhandle 18 may be formed of plastic, wood, aluminum or similar material as may be desired.

It will be observed that this invention thus forms a simple and easily constructed projectile in which the flight has great strength and stability due to the fact that it is made of one unitary piece that is fitted over-a considerable portion of the body. It can be further seen that the several pieces being press fit endwise within one another, are easily removable and may be dismantled for convenient storage or shipment. By making each of the several pieces of standard dimensions they may be easily replaced in the event that any are damaged or broken.

In one specific embodiment constructed, certain dimensions have been found convenient. The dart has an overall length of approximately 23 /2 inches, and the point 14 and weight connection :13 both are made of cadmium coated steel 2% inches, and 2 inches in length respectively. The forward shaft portion 11 made of /8 inch O.D. aluminum tubing is 8 /2 inches in length and the rear portion 12, made of A inch O.D. aluminum tubing, is 10% inches long. The flight 15, 6 inches in overall length, has three 2 inch wide vanes-integrally formed with a inch O.D. tube made in a single unit The spacer-handle 18 also made of flexible plastic is 4 inches in length.

It is obvious that the shafts 11 and 12 may be made of any of the numerous rigid plastics currently available instead of aluminum which has at present been found convenient. Likewise, the flight section, and the spacerhandle instead of being made of flexible plastic can be made of rigid plastic, aluminum or any other metal either by extrusion or casting. Thus the body and the flight may both be made of the same material or of different material as desired. Also it may readily be seen that the position of the flight on the shaft body may be determined by selecting the length of the spacer-handle and by providing another spacer between the forward end of the flight and the rear end of the forward shaft portion.

It is further obvious that the exact dimensions may be varied so that the teachings of this invention may be employed with darts of the indoor type which are considerably smaller. Further, by simple modification simi- 3 lar flights may be used for the fletching of arrows used in the sport of archery. Other variations, modifications and uses may be easily made, and it is therefore desired not to be limited by the foregoing description but to be limited solely by the claims as appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile comprising a pair of cylindrical shafts forming an elongated body having forward and rear portions, a point secured at the forward end of said body, a flight slidably mounted on said rear body portion comprising a tubular sleeve having a plurality of symmetrically disposed flight vanes integrally formed therewith and means mounted on said rear body portion for retaining said flight in desired fixed position, said flight being mounted so that its forward end is adjacent the rear end of said forward shaft portion and said means for retaining said flight on said rear shaft portion comprising a further tubular sleeve slidably mounted over said rear shaft portion substantially between said flight and the rear end of said second shaft portion, and a plug having an enlarged head secured within the rear end of said second shaft portion.

2. A projectile comprising first and second tubular shaft portions, said second tubular shaft portion having its forward end secured into the rearward end of said first tubular shaft portion, a cylindrical weight secured at one end to the forward end of said first shaft portion, a point secured to said cylindrical weight at the other end thereof, a flight comprising a tubular sleeve and a plurality of symmetrically disposed vanes integrally formed therewith slidably mounted on said second tubullar shaft portion adjacent said first tubular shaft portion so as to leave a part of said second shaft portion exposed, a further tubular sleeve slidably fitted over the exposed part of said second shaft portion between said flight and the rear end of said second shaft portion, and a plug having an enlarged head and secured within the r i 4 end of said second shaft portion for replaceably retaining said flight and second tubular sleeve on said second shaft portion.

3. A collapsible projectile for outdoor use comprising a cylindrical weight, a point secured at one end of said cylindrical weight, a first tubular shaft portion having its forward end detachably secured at the other end of said cylindrical weight, a second tubular shaft portion having its forward end secured into the rearward end of said first tubular shaft portion, said second shaft portion having an outer diameter smaller than said first shaft portion, a flight comprising a tubular sleeve and a plurality of symmetrically disposed vanes integrally formed therewith slidably mounted on said second tubular shaft portion adjacent the rear end of said first shaft portion so as to leave a portion of said second shaft portion exposed, a tubular handle slidably fitted over the exposed part of said second shaft portion between said flight and the rear end of said second shaft portion, and a plug having an enlarged head and secured within the end of said second shaft portion for replaceably retaining said flight and handle on said second shaft portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,540 Cowdery Jan. 26, 1932 2,182,296 Lowy Dec. 5, 1939 2,554,012 Cohen May 22, i

FOREIGN PATENTS 445,590 Great Britain Apr. 15, 1936 477,821 Great Britain Jan. 6, 1938 479,525 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1938 576,235 Great Britain May 25, 1946 591,882 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1947 593,710 Great Britain Oct. 23. 1947 

